Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and left foot disorder have been granted. The claim for bilateral hearing loss remains denied.

The Board denied service connection for a right hip disorder and bilateral knee disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar DDD has been reopened and is being remanded for further examination. The claims for left knee disorder and right knee disorder are also being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his left and right knee disabilities, as well as his claim for TDIU due to service-connected conditions. The evidence did not support an increased rating based on the severity of his knee disabilities or demonstrate that he was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee arthritis, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's knee disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a spine disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and hepatitis C. The decision also noted that the Veteran's pancreatitis claim is not addressed as it was not part of the original appeal.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current left knee disability is at least as likely as not caused by an injury or disease during basic training (ACDUTRA) and subsequent National Guard service (INACDUTRA).

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various joint and back disabilities have been denied as there is no evidence of current diagnoses or in-service incurrence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and depression, as well as a temporary total evaluation for his back disability. The case is remanded to obtain additional opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's depression.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee arthritis, respiratory disorders including pulmonary emphysema and kidney disorder were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service onset or continuity of symptoms post-service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate VA examinations and failure to address functional loss during flare-ups.

The Board denied service connection for left knee degenerative joint disease, right knee disability, and tinnitus. The Veteran's ED was remanded due to insufficient evidence linking it to his service-connected condition.,Service connection for right wrist disability is also remanded as the claimant asserts that it is secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral knee disorders due to a lack of X-ray results from his October 2014 VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal for SMC higher than (m) plus (k) was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under section 1114(o). The Veteran has more than one disability rated at 100 percent, but does not have two or more separate and distinct disabilities that would qualify him for SMC rates listed in subsections (l) through (n).

The Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The claims for left and right knee disabilities are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The reduction of the rating for the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability from 20% to 10% was not proper and is restored. The claims for increased ratings for both the right knee and lumbar spine disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for PTSD and a right knee condition were granted. The claim for lung cancer was denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service, including exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection of a back condition, left knee condition, and an acquired psychiatric disability. The new evidence received is sufficient to reopen these claims but does not establish service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left and right leg conditions is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination. The examiner will determine if his current diagnoses are related to his in-service conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for his right knee disability has been dismissed as he withdrew the appeal prior to a decision being made.